The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards celebrated the best in television across broadcast and streaming on CBS. The three-hour telecast hosted by rising comedian Nate Bargatze delivered a variety of both expected and surprising wins in 26 categories. In the end, Apple TV+’s The Studio walked away with a leading 13 wins, followed by The Penguin’s nine, and both Adolescence and Severance with eight.

Bargatze got the evening going with a riff on his classic Saturday Night Live sketch, “Washington’s Dream,” where he, Bowen Yang, and Mikey Day playfully hypothesized what their new invention — television — would bring in the future. It was a smart and funny cold open.

CBS’s own Stephen Colbert presented the first award for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, which went to The Studio’s Seth Rogen. The Studio would go on to break The Bear‘s record for most nominations by a comedy series in a single year. Soon after, the crowd was greeted by Bargatze, who introduced a righteous bit that would last most of the evening. Bargatze announced he would donate $100,ooo to the Boys & Girls Club. For every winner’s speech that went 45 seconds or less, the amount would increase. Every second over the time limit, a deduction of $1,000 was issued. It was a bit that was easy to maintain for the entire ceremony, allowing a visibly nervous Bargatze not to stray too far with his material.

We continued with the awards, with Jennifer Coolidge presenting the award for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. This went to repeat winner Jean Smart for her work on HBO Max’s Hacks. Coolidge was followed by Wednesday’s Catherine Zeta-Jones and Jenna Ortega, and the award for Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. The Emmy went to the first-time nominee and winner Katherine LeNasa for her role in The Pitt. 

After JB Smoove joined Bargatze’s donation bit, Jason Bateman and Jude Law announced the winner for Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. The Emmy went to the first-time nominee Tramell Tillman for his role in the second season of Apple TV+’s Severance. Tillman becomes the first Black actor to win this category in Emmy history. The show’s success continued as Angela Bassett announced Britt Lower as Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

What should have been a tremendous moment of the night, Reba McEntire and the female members of country music group Big Little Town celebrated the 40th anniversary of The Golden Girls’ premiere. However, their stale rendition of “Thank You for Being a Friend” awkwardly transitioned to the winner for Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, which went to Hacks’ Hannah Einbinder. Her speech was short and censored as she shouted, “Go Birds, F*** ICE, and Free Palestine.”

After a commercial break, Bargatze mentions he’d start a swear jar given Einbinder’s profanity. Keeping the show on track, he smoothly transitions to Leanne Morgan, of Netflix’s Leanne, to present the award for Outstanding Competition Series. The Traitors took the win, claiming all five of its nominations for the year. Next, the cast of Paradise — an injured Sterling K. Brown, Julianne Nicholson, and James Marsden — presented Supporting Actor in a Comedy series that went to Jeff Hiller for the underappreciated HBO comedy, Somebody Somewhere. Hiller upset what many believed would have been Harrison Ford’s first career win for Shrinking.

Staying in the comedy realm, Walton Goggins and Parker Posey announced Directing for a Comedy Series, which again went to The Studio for “The Oner.” The laughs ended there as Elizabeth Banks presented the Directing for Limited/Anthology Series or TV Movie Emmy. A groundbreaking five women were nominated, but the win went to  Philip Barantini for Adolescence. 

After another commercial break, Jesse Williams presented Directing for a Drama Series, with Adam Randall winning for Apple TV+’s Slow Horses. Next, Survivor’s Jeff Probst held a tribal council vote to announce the winner of Outstanding Scripted Variety Series, with Last Week Tonight with John Oliver silencing Saturday Night Live. Last year’s drama acting winners of Shogun delivered a surprise win for Writing for a Drama Series, with Dan Gilroy taking it for Andor. Sydney Sweeney gave Owen Cooper his first Emmy for his supporting breakout role in Adolescence. At fifteen, Cooper became the youngest male actor to win an Emmy.

The limited Netflix drama continued its own streak with Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne winning Writing for a Limited/Anthology Series or TV Movie. This was followed by a mini Gilmore Girls reunion as Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel saw The Studio win Writing for a Comedy Series. The laughs continued with Tina Fey announcing the winner for Live Variety Special. The likes of Beyonce and Kendrick Lamar lost to Lorne Michaels’ behemoth SNL: 50 Anniversary Special. The writing category was wrapped up by Variety Series, with the team from Last Week Tonight with John Oliver winning its ninth straight Emmy in this category.

While Adolescence bodied the limited series category, awarding Erin Doherty the win for Supporting Actress, HBO’s The Penguin was triumphant in the Lead Actress category, awarding Cristin Milioti.

The ceremony paused to introduce Cris Abrego, the TV Academy president, as he honored the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The CPB was honored at the Creative Arts ceremony and was mentioned again as the culturally rich organization will cease operations at the end of the year due to funding cuts. Abrego highlighted that storytelling has the power to unite us through connection, inclusion, and empathy. The speech received raucous applause as he emphasized that culture rises from the bottom up, and they will continue to make room for more voices, not fewer.

The ceremonial pause continued with two more poignant moments. The Bob Hope Humanitarian Award was presented to Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen for their support of countless causes. And Phylicia Rashad introduced the in memoriam section, bidding adieu to her beloved TV son, Malcolm-Jamal Warner. Vince Gill and Lainey Wilson sang a rendition of “Go Rest High on That Mountain” to honor the performers and executives who passed this year.

The final stretch of the ceremony saw Stephen Graham accept the awards for Outstanding Lead Actor and Limited Series for Netflix’s Adolescence. And joyously, the room erupted in praise prematurely as The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was announced as the winner for Outstanding Talk Show.

The final two awards — Outstanding Comedy and Drama Series — were interrupted by Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series. Noah Wyle was victorious over Adam Scott for HBO Max’s The Pitt. And The Studio continued its great night, winning Outstanding Comedy. Finally, celebrating 35 years of the Law & Order franchise, Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni, Ice T, Tony Goldwyn, and S. Epatha Merkerson presented the Outstanding Drama Series Emmy to the cast and crew of The Pitt.

The ceremony ended on time, with Nate Bargatze announcing a donation of $350,000 to the Boys & Girls Club.

Full list of winners below:

Lead Actor in a Comedy Series – Seth Rogen, The Studio

Lead Actress in Comedy Series – Jean Smart, Hacks

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series – Katherine LeNasa, The Pitt

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series – Tramell Tillman, Severance 

Lead Actress in a Drama Series – Britt Lower, Severance 

Outstanding Competition Series –  The Traitors

Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Jeff Hiller, Somebody Somewhere

Directing for a Comedy Series  – Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg, The Studio

Directing for Limited/Anthology Series or TV Movie – Philip Barantini, Adolescence 

Directing for a Drama Series – Adam Randall, Slow Horses

Scripted Variety Series – Last Week with John Oliver

Writing for Drama Series – Dan Gilroy, Andor

Supporting Actor in a Limited/Anthology Series or TV Movie – Owen Cooper, Adolescence 

Writing for a Limited/Anthology Series or TV Movie – Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham, Adolescence 

Writing for a Comedy Series – Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory, and Frida Perez, The Studio

Live Variety Special – SNL: 50 Anniversary Special 

Writing for a Variety Series – Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

Supporting Actress in a Limited/Anthology Series or TV Movie – Erin Doherty, Adolescence 

Lead Actress in a Limited/Anthology Series or TV Movie – Cristin Milioti, The Penguin

Lead Actor in a Limited/Anthology Series or TV Movie – Stephen Graham, Adolescence 

Outstanding Talk Show – The Late Show with Stephen Colbert 

Outstanding Limited/Anthology Series – Adolescence 

Outstanding Comedy – The Studio

Lead Actor in a Drama Series – Noah Wyle, The Pitt

Outstanding Drama Series – The Pitt